ALBANY – Governor Andrew Cuomo is reminding parents that while the school year is drawing to a close, thousands of children remain eligible for free, nutritious meals at hundreds of sites around New York State this summer.
State agencies are working with nonprofit and private partners to increase awareness of the Summer Food Service Program, which fills a gap for families that rely on free and reduced-price school meals during the school year to help feed their children. The Governor also issued a proclamation marking July as Summer Meals Month in New York State to highlight the issue.
Approximately 400,000 children a day will receive meals through the program this summer. Many summer meal sites also offer fun activities, so children and teens can stay active and spend time with friends while enjoying healthy meals.
Various government agencies and non-profits are partnering to spread the word about the program. The New York State Education Department has an interactive map online with information on all the summer meal sites in New York State that can be accessed here. The New York State Department of Health’s Growing Up Healthy Hotline, 1-800-522-5006, can also help locate a summer meal site in your community.
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